Downey, riffing on an earlier incident in the hall where someone got stabbed (delaying all the panels), says, “Don’t anybody stab me until I’m done talking.” Says he watched INCEPTION recently, and thought it was the most ambitious movie he’d ever seen. Then he took a breath, and realized THE AVENGERS is more ambitious.

– FDR talking about Pearl Harbor. We pull back to reveal the obvious… That this has all been projected on Captain America’s shield.

– Cut to a silhouette that is unmistakably Cap. He turns around, and we see a glimpse of the costume which looks like a military uniform that has been augmented with patriotic-colored armor on top.

– Quick shot of him throwing his shield at the camera. End clip.

Out come Joe Johnston, Chris Evans, and Hugo Weaving. Johnston: “It’s a classic adventure love story with an edge.” Says he wants a tone like RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, which didn’t feel like it was made in WWII, but still feels modern in tone.

Evans says he’s trying to approach the role like every other character, because if he stops to realize how big the role is, his brain might melt into a panic attack.

Johnston is a fan of the Brubaker Captain America, keeping certain visual elements from that but “going slightly more modern.” What we just saw was footage from costume tests – Chris hasn’t put on the real costume yet. The images leaked online are more cartoonish that the real thing.

Movie is all set in the 1940s.

Evans: “I love origin stories!” (But I don’t. I’m sick of them. I think many others are, too.) However, he likes that, with the crossover sequels, there can be more to do after the origin tale.

Weaving describes his Red Skull prosthetic as “a pretty extraordinaru creation.” Though he has worn it once, we don’t get to see it yet.

But we do get to see some footage they shot last week! Begin clip. Title tells us it’s Norway, May 1942. We’re in a castle, or maybe church. The walls shake. Viking helmets on mounts shake. Nazis bust through the wall, and head straight for a tomb that they try to open. They’re trying to do it before. Too late. In walks Weaving, looking a lot like the Red Skull, but still having a normal face. The priest (or whoever it is, but looks like a priest) tells Weaving: “What you seek is just a legend!”

“Then why make such an effort to conceal it?” (He sounds more like Christoph Waltz than Herzog.) He opens the tomb to reveal a knight’s corpse, and a crystal cube. “The jewel of Odin’s treasure room” (future Thor tie-in, folks). He drops it, and it shatters. A fake, presumably. He looks to the wall, and sees a carving of Yggdrasil, the tree of life in Norse mythology. Seeing a serpent at the base, he touches it and opens a secret compartment. We can’t see what’s in there, but it glows blue.

“You’ve never seen this, have you?” he asks the priest.

“It’s not for the eyes of ordinary men.”

“Exactly.” Cut to black. One note: Wolverine is still at Fox, and will not cameo in CAPTAIN AMERICA. There was a question about whether, because he was seen at D-Day in his own origin movie, he could run into Cap. But no, that can’t happen.

Now moderator can’t resist making the pun: “It’s hammer time!” THOR panel begins, and Kenneth Branagh comes out. He says he always loved Thor as a kid: the name, the power, the dysfunctional family.

Hemsworth says Anthony Hopkins is one of the most humble and enthusiastic guys to work with. Would often turn to him on set and go, “God, isn’t this fun!”

Portman says she really wanted to do a big effects movie that emphasized character, and getting to do it with Branagh was a new way of approaching it, relative to STAR WARS. (In the politest way she can muster, she’s basically saying George Lucas didn’t direct her at all.)

Kat Dennings plays Portman’s “little helper gnome.”

Hiddleston says Loki is “both the agent of chaos, and the damaged younger brother. He’s a great liar, and it was fun playing with, can you tell if he’s lying?”

Gregg says that when he delivered the line in IRON MAN 2 about going to New Mexico, he had no idea what it meant, so he asked Feige. Feige said, “Oh God, nobody told you? THOR. Thor is in New Mexico.”

Time to show the clip. We put on 3D glasses. What ensued was probably the highlight of Comic-Con, footage wise. And I say this as someone who was VERY skeptical about Thor.

Lightning strikes. View from above of a makeshift multi-story construction built around the crater where the hammer fell. Coulson is interrogating Thor in silhouette, asking how he manhandled his men so easily.

Thor in a secured hospital bed, waking up and throwing people through walls.

Coulson: “Where did you receive your training?”

“Who are you?”

Shot of the galaxy. Another world: Asgard.

It’s a world of golden buildings that looks like a cross between Naboo in the STAR WARS prequels (exteriors) and Dune or Mongo in the interiors. Odin has a metal eyepatch, and a helmet that makes him look like DC comics character Magog.

Odin is mad at Thor, his son. Reprimands him for opening other dimensions aand threatening the piece. Stone zombie things advance on camera.

Odin: “You are a vain, greedy, cruel boy!”

Thor: “And you are an old man and a fool!”

Odin banishes him from Asgard. He wakes up in the New Mexico desert at night. “Oh no, this is Earth, isn’t it?” Portman’s Jane finds him.

Jane asks what happened last night. Thor replies, “Your ancestors called it magic, you call it science; I come from a place where they’re one and the same.”

Odin on his deathbed. Loki is new ruler of Asgard, and apparently a bad one.

Odin’s voiceover says that, when wielded by someone worthy, the hammer gives its user the power of Thor. Thor tries to pull it out of the crater, but can’t. He’s not yet worthy. More shots of the gods of Asgard, fighting. They look like action figures waiting to happen. A giant metal warrior – The Destroyer – falls from the sky, in front of Coulson and other agents. An agent asks, “Is that one of Stark’s?”

“I dunno, the guy never tells me anything.”

He asks The Destroyer to identify itself. It responds by opening up its face and shooting out fire.

Surprisingly, no “olde English” speech from Thor. No “Thee, Thou,” etc. This was a good choice. That always bothered me about Thor as a kid. Also, he doesn’t wear the winged helmet except in two shots.

Q&A:

Why no Donald Blake (Thor’s secret identity of sorts in original comics)? Branagh: “We have some Don Blake surprises in the movie.”

Portman’s character won’t be in THE AVENGERS, but will be in potential THOR sequels.

85 Comments

Man I tell you what thats an awesome ensemble for any film. The pressure is really on Whedon. (Please God dont let him screw it up) Avengers Assemble!

HappyDance • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Meh. Kinda tired of comic movies and of all of the people on that stage. Plus; Thor, Conan, Green Lantern? Yeesh. Where’s Gleek from the Wonder Twins?

I’m more interested in Sucker Punch or sequel to Kick Ass than worn out comic characters.

Peggy • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Is this what the American film industry is reduced to? Comics?

lsb • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

It’s what movie goers want to see, remember, the movie business isn’t art its all about the money, stockholders, and media companies getting bigger and bigger. I would never see any of these movies, but as a Disney stockholder for years, I’m loving it. Best thing Iger has done, besides buying Pixar, is buying Marvel.

Anonymous • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

You are definitely missing out.

Jeff • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

What a depressing and pretentious outlook.

caro • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

it’s also a Comic Con!!!

BT • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

its a lot better than most of the crap that has been shoved out by the American film industry, so lets not act like we have such a prestigious industry here

So does this mean that Jeremy Renner is actually signed for THE AVENGERS?
Does this also mean he is definitely not doing PTA’s THE MASTER (which may or may not be starting pre-production next month)?

A helpful sort of guy • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

The Avengers won’t actually be filming for some time. They’re still waiting for the Captain America and Thor movies to wrap and be released, at which point all the characters will converge on one big ridiculous film. But so far Whedon apparently hasn’t even started the script yet, just the outline. (Here’s hoping for writer’s block.)

So yeah, Renner has plenty of time for The Master.

Susie • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

And you people make fun of Twilight? You have grown men running around in tights. Chris Hemsworth of Thor gets cut just like Taylor Lautner but no giving him crap about his body? Fanboys are hypocrites.

P.S. Your Mr. America looks like a little shrimp. I bet any of the twilight guys can take him.

Jeff • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Wow, the ignorance just keeps coming.

People make fun of Twilight because the quality of the movie is BAD. You do realize, I hope, that if Twilight were at the QUALITY of Iron Man or The Dark Knight, that people wouldn’t make fun of it, right?

Nothing hypocritical about it, you’re simply a bitter Twilight fan.

luke • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

agreed, and there is the sparkly (gay) vampire thing

Jenn • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Not only is the movie Twilight bad, but the story is horific and poorly executed at best. The great thing about The Avengers is that it has a fantastic story line, incredible visuals, and it’s classic. The Avengers is where it all starts (ok, it starts with a lot of backstory, but you get my drift), it’s where we all foget our differences (not all of them do a good job of that) and unite against what we can’t stand for. The Avengers is all the idealism of the entire world roled into one beautiful, messed up, hilarious package. It’s what most of us grew up reading, and now we get all of the excitement of seeing our favorite heros brought to life. Fans don’t see silly men in tights (except Hawkeye, but that’s my own personal problem), they see their heros, they see a world where they can escape from the everyday.

Which, is also the appeal of Twilight, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s awful and the “cut” Taylor Lautner was bascially used as child pornography in the first movie. But, that’s the difference: The Avengers fans will tell you when you’ve done them wrong…the Twilight fans don’t know what wrong is. :)

Jacob • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Let’s just say both sides are stupid and leave it at that.

chris • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Avatar is going down at the box office!

je pressman • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Comic books + movies = too much of the same thing.Help!

Anonymous • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

What the hell is Mike Myers doing there in his Austin Powers outfit?

That’s Robert Downey, Jr.?

Oh…he’s drinking again, I see.

casting couch • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Oh, behave!

An inquisitive sort of guy • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

I always thought Downey was supposed to be kind of a short guy. Why is he taller than nearly everyone on the stage but Thor and Sam Jackson?

INterested Observer • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Downey wears lifts (more like extremely high-heel cowboy boot type shoes). They are shown clearly in parking lot paparzzi shots of the first day of Iron Man 2’s filming.

I don’t know. Who ever said there’s no script is dead right. And threr won’t be for a while. Iron Man has to make 500m plus worldwide but this thing has to do a LOT better — probably 700m — to be classed a success. That’s a tall order.

Am I being too harsh? • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Still 100% sure of Captain America’s coming Flop-dom, but now feeling good about Thor’s chance of success. Regardless of how terrible I think CA will do, the Marvel panel was a big success.

The biggest disappointment at Comic-Con so far has been Warner Bros. I know they can’t control all rumors, but coming into the event, they were hyping “big news” and there has been none. Fans speculated about an announcement of a Wonder Woman or Flash movie, a Batman 3 start date or villain, the name of the next Superman director, or surprise appearances at the last Harry Potter panel to be held at Comic-Con. None of that happened. No surprise announcements. No big surprise guests. The best they could muster was some hasty footage put together for Green Lantern, which everybody knew they were going to see anyway.

Disney shocked fans with the news of del Toro’s Haunted Mansion and gave them an unexpected Captain Jack bonus. DreamWorks brought Han Solo to Comic-Con for the first time. Marvel paraded the Avengers lineup. And Warner Bros did nothing surprising or interesting. Potter fans felt a huge letdown. DC fans got scraps and were constantly told “We can’t talk about it.” They “can’t talk about” if anything is going on with Wonder Woman or Flash or JLA. They “can’t talk about” if DC offices are moving from NY to LA. They “can’t talk about” what is happening with Batman 3 or Superman. Why did they bother to show up at all? WBtv has done a better job promoting their stuff, but very few surprises or “WOW” moments. They will get their last chance with Sunday’s Smallville and Supernatural panels, but the features’ side is already a huge “FAIL” in my book.

Peter • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Kill me now. Hollywood is in shambles. All of this talent WASTED. And another thing: Where did these guys learn to dress?

Jeff • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Why is it wasted? As long as its at the quality of Iron Man, it won’t be wasted.

Harriet and Blah Blah Nyborg • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

The “quality” of Iron Man? Oh, boy …

Aaron • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

“The “quality” of Iron Man? Oh, boy …”

Someone’s a narrowminded jerk. What could you possibly have against that movie?

Wow, that will suck. Utterly predictable: Whedon will make Hawkeye gay. Have Cap and Iron Man and Thor spend most of the movie fighting over Black Widow. Agent whats-his-name will also be gay. There will be a “romantic rape scene” ala Buffy, numerous prostitution-rescue themes ala Dollhouse and Firefly, and Whedon WILL kill off at least one important character (guess: Cap).

As predictable as the calendar. Who’d have thought DC would have the better films out?

You are correct: the imaginary movie in your head that won’t resemble The Avengers at all does indeed suck.

Jeff • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

I hope you’re joking with this stupidity.

bobbyfischerslovechild • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

DC has the better films out? Like Jonah Hex or The Losers?

norman • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

What’s wrong if hawkeye is gay? You have a problem with gay people? You must be living in uranus. The world is not for heteros only you silly old cow

Sigh • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Dude, read your comic canon. If anyone is gay, it’s Cap.

Jenn • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Also, if Captain America was going to be killed off, then this would be called Superhero Civil Wars, not the Avengers. That would deviate so far from the story line that I’m pretty sure there would be hell to pay once the fans got wind of it.

caro • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

RDJ has the worst look i saw since Mickey Rourke’s comeback

RafasReds • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Took me a second to figure out that was him. Not flattering lighting at all. Fortunately he looked like he was aging well in Sherlock Holmes.

BT • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

“Wolverine is still at Fox, and will not cameo in CAPTAIN AMERICA.”

Trent • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Whedon is freaking overrated. Most of what he has done are average to been sucky.

Michael • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

I grew up reading comics, but even as a child I never managed to develop any attachment to Marvel comics. Even today I get my Marvel fix from the movies. Given Marvel’s track record tho, I’d worry about this movie. The first two Spidey and X-Men movies were fun. The third ones of each were

dnd • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Don’t schedule your films around this one, it’s going to be a monster hit. Warner Brother’s needs to get it’s act together with the Justice League movie, it should have come out before this one.

i say cool as hell you cant judge something until seen-i wish them all the luck in the world
nick fury is a white guy
better than no cap thor or aengers movie at all…..
give it a chance get rd of samuel l jackson kill him off quickly and severall
nick fury is a white gut

Timesthree • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Why is Nick Fury a white guy? Why are most of the superheroes white guys? When are we going to see an interesting non-white superhero aside from Blade?

Nathan Dayspring • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Clearly, they never read the Ultimates. Sucks for them. Racism and ignorance DO go together like PB & J. Besides, they already HAD a “white guy” play Fury and it SUCKED! Don’t know what I’m talking about? There’s a reason! It was Hasselhoff! Fury with a fro? I don’t care how many cigars the “Hoff” munches, he’s a terrible, terrible Fury.

Jeff • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

“(But I don’t. I’m sick of them. I think many others are, too.)”

How can you be sick of origin stories in general? Sick of repeating origin stories, like rebooting Spider-Man already? That’s understandable. You’re basically saying “I’m sick of chapter 1’s in books.”

They can’t exactly just skip ahead past the origin of Thor and Captain America if they’re going to do movies based off them. What exactly do you want?

kris • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

All of you are SOOOO cool with your uber cynicism. In other news, there are two glarings character missing from this film: Ant Man and Wasp.

Mat • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

People say “Why comic books?” I say “why not?” Comic books have been a medium here for over five decades

why is there still this stigma surrounding comic books and why are people SOOOO down on them??

I’d sooner see a comic book adapted than giving some hack screenwriter work who shouldn’t be working in the first place or another Katherine Heigl vehicle

Harriet and Blah Blah Nyborg • on Jul 24, 2010 8:07 pm

Well, yeah, a rom-com is usually just as dumb as any comic book movie. But the problem is people like me (and others, I hope) are crying out for more studio dramas and serious, adult fare. Anything for adults is becoming more the domain of the indies or even just HBO, Showtime or AMC.